SAEON learners scoop Eskom Expo medals

Siphokazi Swartbooi (left) and Xolela Ngcete won bronze medals at the Eskom Expo last year for their project entitled "Life on rocky shores" (Picture: Chris McCartney)

Collecting medals in the regional finals of the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is not new to Xolela Ngcete and Siphokazi Swartbooi of Grahamstown.

Last year they won bronze medals for their project titled "Life on rocky shores" after they were introduced to scientific methods in an education outreach programme run by SAEON’s Elwandle Node.

This year the two learners decided to work on individual projects for the regional Expo which took place in July. Xolela investigated the physics behind the vuvuzela`s sound, while Siphokazi looked at the use of electricity versus the effective use of the wonder box in her project titled "Fighting global warming with samp and bean".

Both learners received bronze medals and will present their projects at the National Science Expo which will be held in Johannesburg in October. They did extremely well considering there were close to 200 entrants into the Expo.

When asked about their winning formula they said that one first needs to develop an interest and then choose a simple concept that one is comfortable with.

"Our role as SAEON’s Education Outreach Team is to facilitate and be supportive of the learning experience," says Nozi Hambaze, Education Outreach Officer at the SAEON Elwandle Node. "This approach ensures that the learners gain the self-confidence, values and skills they need to strike out on their own."